A Journey Toward Heaven.
Zion's Advocate, Vol. 42, No. 16, June 1903.
The life of true christians is only a pilgrimage. They are only strangers here. They may be surrounded with outward enjoyment, have pleasant homes and be favored with the delightful association of precious friends whose kindness sheds its halo about the pathway of their journey, yet they should not rest in these pleasures as their coveted portion. They should certainly use them with the view of being ready to quit them when called to exchange this world for the sweeter, better world to come.The traveler may often find pleasant places on the road, but he is not content to take up his permanent abode in them or gratify his craving desires with them. He is not enticed by them to proceed though the walk may be toilsome. If he stops at a home or a place of public entertainment, where many accommodations are offered, he does not consider these things his own. He feels that he is only a stranger, and having tarried for a night he is ready to go forward. If he is going to his own home he has that in mind, and feels glad that so much of the journey is over.
Thus it was that the patriarchs "confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth." Abraham said, "I am a stranger and a sojourner with you." Jacob declared this to be the general sense of those ancient worthies when he said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are an hundred and thirty years; few and evil have the days of my life been, and have not attained to the days of the years of the life of my fathers in the days of their pilgrimage." Gen.xlxii. P. Thus prayed the sweet singer in Israel: "Hear my prayer, O Lord, and give ear unto my cry; hold not thy peace at my tears: for I am a stranger with thee, and sojourner, as all my fathers were." Ps. xxxix. 12.
Our carnal nature tends to set its affections on things below instead of things above, and we are prone to forget that we have no continuing city here. We should remember at all times that the agreeable things of this life are only lent to us for a time to serve a present turn, and our hearts should be set on the inheritance reserved in heaven for us. Paul's instructions to the Corinthian church should be kept constantly in mind: "But this I say, brethren, the time is short. It remaineth that both they that have wives be as though they had none; and those that weep, as though they wept not; and they that buy, as though they possessed not; and they that use this world, as not abusing it: for the fashion of this world passeth away." I Cor. vii. 29.30.31. Oh! If we could but remember that the fashion of this world passeth away, and that owning and possessing not, rejoicing and weeping, having dear companions and having none, are all only transient circumstances that are passing away like the fashion of the world, we would be the better prepared to look forward to the end of the journey with increasing desires and longing expectations. Our chief aim would then be to press forward to the endlosses and crosses would be accounted matters of small importance.
A pilgrim, traveling through a strange land, often finds the journey a toilsome one. There are hills to climb, there are waters to cross, there are deserts to traverse, there are rough places to pass over. But the thought that home lies beyond it all stimulates him to press along the tiresome way toward the sweet goal of his race. Animated with the hope of reaching that blessed goal, he exultingly sings,
"What though the tempest rage,
Heaven is my home;
Short is my pilgrimage,
Heaven is my home;
Time's cold and wintry blast,
Soon will be over past,
I shall reach home at last
Heaven is my home."
It requires patience to journey on day by day, especially if there are difficulties to overcome, sorrows to encounter and afflictions to bear. Amid all these the pilgrim often feels a sense of weakness that tests his little stock of patience to the utmost. He often feels tempted to relax his energies and give up the struggle. He would no doubt do this were it not for the strong Arm upon which he leans. That is his support and stay. When he falls, that Almighty Arm raises him up, so that he is not utterly cast down. When his heart is faint and his limbs are weary, a fresh view of the fruitful land to which he is journeying is imparted to him by faith as thus described by the poet:
"The pleasant fields of paradise,
So glorious to behold,
The valleys clad in living green,
The mountains paved with gold:
The tree of life with heavenly fruit,
Behold how rich they stand!
Blow, gentle gales, and bear my soul
To Canaan's happy land.
"Already to my raptured sight,
The blissful fields arise,
And plenty spreads her smiling stores,
Inviting to my eyes.
O sweet abode of endless rest,
I soon shall travel there,
Nor earth nor all her empty joys
Shall long detain me here."
God has made us for himself in creating us anew in Christ. When we are finally and full brought to God we shall have reached the great end for which he designed us. We will not be brought to him in this sense till we are brought to heaven the place of his personal and special abode. While we are on the way to that celestial city we will always know so little of him and render such imperfect service to him. Our service here is mingled with sin which dishonors him, but there we shall be fully conformed to him and shall serve him perfectly and give up ourselves wholly to him in a pure offering of flaming love. This is so desirable that fresh strength comes with a view of the glorious prospect.
The best feasts of spiritual joy are but shadows of which God is the enduring substance. These are but scattering beams of which God is the sun, but tiny drops of which God is the boundless ocean. This being our great endthe final and everlasting enjoyment of God in heavenwhatever provisions and conveniences that are gathered by us as temporal supplies and seeming necessities on the way should be regarded by us as only for the journey. All affairs should be subordinated to the great desire of reaching home at last where none of these things will be needed.
None of us can afford to waste time in seeking to please the world. We should desire above all things else to please Him with whom we expect to live in our everlasting home. We cannot afford to abuse others. Those who are heirs with us are of our own family, and we should love them too well to abuse them. Those who will never reach our home demand our pity rather than our abuse. Then let us, if possible, live peaceably with all men on our journey home.
J. R. D.
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